The present invention relates in general to interior features in a motor vehicle to facilitate mobile office tasks of a driver, and, more specifically, to a work surface/storage system to facilitate file keeping and writing tasks of a person (such as a police officer) in the driver seat of the vehicle.
Storage space and working surfaces within a typical motor vehicle are very limited. The performance of work or other activities involving office-like functions (e.g., writing on documents, using paper files and folders, or using personal items) is a challenge in a mobile environment.
Various tray systems have been proposed to provide a working surface. Some systems have deployed from the vehicle dashboard in the manner of a sliding shelf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,060 to Ma shoes a tray that connects by suction cups to the windshield and the dashboard. Other support structures have hung over the vehicle seat (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,932 to Ngo).
A dual use of the passenger seating area is sometimes desirable because a vehicle may be used by only a driver (e.g., a highway patrol officer or a traveling sales representative). When no passenger is present, the space can instead be used for a storage system for the driver. Existing deployable systems, however, have suffered from the disadvantage that they lack the stability and rigidity to perform well as a solid writing support surface. Movement of the support surface not only makes writing difficult, but may cause beverages or other items spill from their associated compartments. Therefore, a system is needed that is easily mounted and yet provides a stable and rigid support surface together with storage capabilities associated with office-like functions in a motor vehicle.